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China's Political System / Edition 7

China’s Political System examines how the government of China is affected by ongoing efforts to harmonize its unique culture with external influences and ideas. Highly respected area specialist June Teufel Dreyer offers expert analysis of the historical context and current trends to show how this transition is impacting China’s economic, legal, military, social, and cultural institutions. Throughout the text, Dreyer challenges students to think about the broader problem of governance in China by comprehensively showing how both the past and the present influence leaders, citizens, ethnic minorities, and policies and by incisively considering the different futures of China’s political system.

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China’s Political System examines how the government of China is affected by ongoing efforts to harmonize its unique culture with external influences and ideas. Highly respected area specialist June Teufel Dreyer offers expert analysis of the historical context and current trends to show how this transition is impacting China’s economic, legal, military, social, and cultural institutions. Throughout the text, Dreyer challenges students to think about the broader problem of governance in China by comprehensively showing how both the past and the present influence leaders, citizens, ethnic minorities, and policies and by incisively considering the different futures of China’s political system.

First Chapter

China’s Political System examines how the government of China is affected by ongoing efforts to harmonize its unique culture with external influences and ideas. Highly respected area specialist June Teufel Dreyer offers expert analysis of the historical context and current trends to show how this transition is impacting China’s economic, legal, military, social, and cultural institutions. Throughout the text, Dreyer challenges students to think about the broader problem of governance in China by comprehensively showing how both the past and the present influence leaders, citizens, ethnic minorities, and policies and by incisively considering the different futures of China’s political system.

Table of Contents

Illustrations xv

Preface xvi

About the Author xix

Political Map of China xx

1 Introducation 1

Modernization and Chinese Civilization 1

Theories of Analysis of Chinese Politics 8

Theoretical Analysis in the Early Years of the PRC 10

Theories Engendered by the Cultural Revolution 15

Post-Mao Theories of Analysis 21

Conclusions 23

Suggestions for Further Reading 24

2 The Chinese Tradition 25

Basic Characteristics 25

The Governmental Structure of Traditional China 31

The Examination System 35

Literature and Art 36

The Role of Law in Traditional China 36

The Military 38

The Barbarian Problem 39

Interpretations of Chinese History 39

Implications for Industrialization 42

Conclusions 46

Suggestions for Further Reading 46

3 Reformers, Warlords, and Communists 47

The New Invasion 47

The Self-Strengthening Movement 49

Reform and Revolution 53

The Reformers 54

The Reactionaries 55

The Revolutionaries 56

The Kuomintang 61

Suggestions for Further Reading 65

4 The Communist Road to Power 66

The Early Years: 1919-1923 66

The Period of Soviet Control: 1923-1931 68

The Jiangxi Soviet: 1931-1934 70

The Long March: 1934-1935 72

The Xi'an Incident: 1936 75

The Second United Front: 1936-1941 76

Civil War and Victory: 1941-1949 82

Suggestions for Further Reading 84

5 PRC Politics under Mao: 1949-1976 85

Consolidation of Power: 1949-1955 85

Establishing the Organs of Power 89

The Hundred Flowers Period: 1956-1957 94

The Great Leap Forward and Its Aftermath: 1958-1961 97

The Socialist Education Movement: 1962-1966 102

The Cultural Revolution: 1966-1976 104

The Yearsof Upheaval: 1966-1969 104

Reconstruction: 1970-1976 109

Suggestions for Further Reading 112

6 PRC Politics in the Post-Mao Era: 1976-2008 113

Interregnum: 1976-1978 113

Deng Ascendant 116

The Legacy of Mao 119

Political Realignment and Policy Readjustment 120

The Tiananmen Demonstrations. 1989 129

The "Third Generation": China under Jiang Zemin 134

The Three Represents 136

Civie Organizations 136

Changing Central-Local Relationships 137

The "Fourth Generation" Assumes Power 141

Conclusions 145

Suggestions for Further Reading 147

7 The Politics of the Economy 148

Introduction 148

The Early Years: 1949-1950 149

The Socialist Transformation of Agriculture: 1949-1978 150

Industrial Policy in the Maoist Era 155

Maoist Economic Policies Assessed 156

Economic Policy under Deng Xiaoping 158

Agricultural Reforms 158

The Private Sector 161

More Responsibility for State Enterprises 162

Reforming the Price System 163

Reforming the Reforms 165

New Problems for Deng's Successors 169

Future Concerns 173

Conclusions 176

Suggestions for Further Reading 177

8 Crime and Punishment: The Legal System of the PRC 178

Less than Peaceful Coexistence of the Societal and Jural Models: 1949-1953 179

Editorial Reviews

“Dreyer provides a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of China’s political, economic and social landscape. Rather than providing a static overview of existing institutions and processes, the author convincingly shows how the lasting struggle between external influence and China’s own tradition underlies changes in China’s political system.”–Yi Edward Yang, James Madison University